Shoes for Mama
by Lasting Violet
Summary: A young boy wants to get his dying mother a pair of red heels for Christmas. Slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

**You might want to listen to the song, Christmas Shoes by New Song as you read this.**

* * *

The blond haired prince sighed as the opening notes to a song he'd heard at least five times in the past half hour floated through the speakers.

Edmund turned his attention to the boxes of candy and cookies on the left side of the checkout line. He had been standing in lines all day. And frankly, he was getting sick of it. He noticed green wrappers, candy canes and wreathes nestled among his favorite candy bars.

He held a basket containing some assorted things. There were candy canes, small stuffed toys, two headbands and small chocolates. They were for his nieces' stockings. And they were the very last things on his list.

It wasn't that he didn't like Christmas. It was his favorite time of the year. But, it was snowing really hard outside, and he didn't want to get stuck in the store because the roads were too bad to drive in. He looked around and noticed the amount of other people doing last minute shopping was astounding, and he didn't really like listening to frantic parents running down aisles as they looked for the last few things on their kid's wish lists. It had put him out of the Christmas mood.

He waited impatiently as the cashier rang up the many things in the cart of the two people in front of him.

It seemed like they had forgot about all of their holiday shopping and had only remembered about it today. The cashier seemed to be taking extra long to ring up their purchase.

Edmund wasn't the only one who was feeling very impatient. In front of him, was a short boy who looked like he was no older than seven years old, pale, round, freckled face, and blond hair.

The boy shifted his weight several times before he started to stare at the candy on the shelf. He would occasionally pat the left pocket in his sweater as if it were to remind himself that the money was still in his pocket.

Every so often, he would look down at the box in his hands and lift the cover to reveal a pair of red leather heels. Edmund saw those shoes and was immediately reminded of the shoes that Courtney would wear when the band was hanging out after a concert. He wasn't sure why this kept on happening to him, but it did. And it wouldn't stop. He would see something very ordinary, and be reminded of Courtney.

He watched as the boy walked toward the register.

The cashier passed the shoe box over the scanner and the boy's eyes lit up. The man at the counter smiled at him and asked how he was doing.

And when it was his turn to pay I couldn't believe what I heard him say.

"Miss, I want to buy these shoes for my mother. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size." His voice dropped lower, "Could you hurry please? My sister says that there isn't much time left. She's been sick for a long time, but I know that these shoes will make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful when she meets Jesus tonight."

Edmund paled, and the clerk looked shocked as well. She told the boy the total in a quiet voice, and a pocketful of change spilled from his pocket and onto the conveyer belt.

The boy half-heatedly counted the change, but he shook his head sadly when he had finished. His eyes flickered to look at Edmund's face for a moment. _  
_

His eyes were pleading and he looked like he was on the brink of tears. And he turned to me and said, "Mama made Christmas good at our house. Though most years she just did without. Tell me sir, what am I going to do. Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes"

The boy's words pulled on his heartstrings. He looked so helpless and vulnerable, but it wasn't like he could help it. Edmund took out his credit card and handed it to the cashier. "I'll take care of it," he said

The boy wrapped his hands around Edmund's waist. "Really?" he asked.

And I'll never forget the look on his face

Edmund nodded. He would never admit to anyone that his vision was swimming.

The child's answering smile shone with joy.

"Mama's gonna look so great"

The little boy took the bag containing the shoes and thanked him one more time. Edmund took a deep breath and told him that it wasn't a problem. The boy took off from the store, and nearly tripped over his own feet.

Abandoning his own basket of things, he stole a glance at the clerk who wasn't trying to hide the tears that were falling from her face, Edmund followed the boy outside. "Hey, wait for a sec if you please?"

The boy turned back to him, "Sir, I need to go home. My mother needs her shoes-"

Edmund cut him off, "I know. Wouldn't you get home faster if I gave you a ride though?"

The boy nodded, as he rubbed his arms in an attempt to keep warm. Falling snowflakes clung to his hair and eyelashes.

"Come on."

* * *

The boy lived a few miles away from the store, and Edmund couldn't feel any gladder that he had given the boy a ride. The wind and snow had picked up as they were in the store, so he cranked up the heat. The boy feel asleep with his head against the door, the shoes cradled as if it were a teddy bear.

Edmund opened the passenger door and lifted the boy out, being extra careful to not wake him. He carried him to the door, where a young girl with blond hair answered the knock.

"Christopher!" the girl cried, worry and shock etched on her features.

Christopher stirred, "Lena!" he said. "Look what I got mommy!" He held out the shoes proudly. "She's going to look so pretty in these tonight."

The girl took Christopher from Edmund's arms. "Would you please come in?" she asked and then led Edmund to the living room. "Don't you do something like that ever again. Mother and I were scared sick that you had been taken away or that you were lost." She scolded Christopher before returning her attention back to Edmund. "Thank you for bringing him back. I don't know what I'd do … Especially since it's Christmas eve. I thought I'd lose him too…" She trailed off and seemed to realize that she had said too much.

"Lena?" called a weak voice from the doorway of the living room. "What's the matter? Is Christopher back?"

"Yes mother. This man just brought him back" Lena replied as she led the woman to the sofa to sit. The sofa looked worn and old, and the holes in the sofa were noticeable. "Mother, you shouldn't have gotten out of bed."

"Courtney?" Edmund whispered, not sure if it was who he thought it was.

Christopher climbed into his mother's lap. "Look at what I got you at the store mommy! I got you these shoes for Christmas, and this man helped me." Courtney gave a small smile as Christopher climbed off the couch and pulled Edmund closer. "I didn't have enough money and this man helped me. Open it mommy!"

The woman before him was thin and pale, to the point that she looked very sick.

"Edmund?"

"Courtney?"

The pair embraced. Edmund was being careful not to hurt her. "I haven't seen you in years!" they cried in unison. Edmund was shocked to how weak her voice sounded compared to when he had last seen her 18 years ago at the band's last reunion.

However, Christopher was getting bored with the reunion, and his sister noticed it. Christopher had started to fiddle with the hem of his shirt, which was something that he only did when he was bored.

Courtney's pale face had become even paler, and her breathing had become labored. "Say goodnight Christopher," Lena said, looking worriedly at her mother. "You do know that Santa won't come unless you're asleep."

Christopher kissed his mother and leap out of sight. Lena followed after him, "I'll be right back once I put Christopher to sleep.

Courtney's still trembling hands slid the shoes onto her feet. She needed a bit of help from Edmund who had knelt awkwardly on the floor as he tried to help her. "This is such a surprise," she whispered. "I didn't expect to see you ever again."

"It's a Christmas miracle," Edmund said weakly. "What happened, Courtney? Why aren't you living in a palace with people to wait on you?

"I never was going to live in a palace. My older sister Brita beat me to the crown, by five minutes," She coughed wildly as she said that.

"but that doesn't explain why you're sick? He was confused because her voice was hoarse, her eyelids could barely be kept open and her head couldn't be held up straight without her hands shaking.

"Cancer," she replied. "It's in my lungs. The doctor says it's from the strain that I put on my system from singing," she coughed wildly. "I don't have much time left. I was waiting for Christopher to get back because I didn't want him to come back home and find his mother gone."

"Why aren't you at a hospital, Courtney?" Edmund asked. "Why are you just waiting for cancer to take you?"

"I've already lived my life, Edmund. I've lived with cancer for almost two years now. I fell in love with you, but you never returned those feelings. You were always flirting with Genevieve or Erika. After we disbanded, I was forced to marry another man, who beat me for no reason sometimes. With his hands or a stick. I think he might be a factor to why I'm so sick, but the doctors aren't sure. He died a year after Christopher was born. But I had two children. The most perfect children in the world."

She intertwined her fingers with his, and kissed his lips tenderly. "And now that you're back, I can die happily," she whispered.

"Courtney, I love you," Edmund said just as softly.

"I love you too. I always have, and always will."

Her hand slipped out of his hand, and a tear fell down Edmund's cheek.

* * *

 **Merry Christmas everyone!**

 **I know that this is an odd pairing, but I thought that the two of them suited each other and yeah.**

 **Lasting Violet**


	2. Chapter 2

Edmund couldn't believe it. She was gone. She had loved him, and they never got the chance to be together because of his stupidity. She was gone, and her children would then become orphans.

But he couldn't let that happen. He owed that much to her, and he could see that clearly. If it were the last thing that he would do, he'd adopt her kids and give them the happily ever after that he should have given their mother.

He looks up for a moment and notices that Courtney's daughter – Lena- standing at the doorway. A knowing look on her face. She's well aware of the fact that her mother is gone, yet she still looks strong. "You know, she really did love you. I'm sure you made her happy by coming and seeing her before she left. The only thing is that I have no idea how to tell Christopher that she's gone."

"If you want, I can tell Christopher about Courtney, so you don't have to. I remember what it's like to lose your parents at a young age." Edmund says with a sigh.

"I hope you don't think I'm being nosy or anything, but can you tell me about yourself. I mean, other than what I've heard from mother's stories, I have absolutely no idea who you are." Lena says as she walks over to the couch that he's sitting on and drops herself to the floor.

Edmund clears his throat, "I'll have to start at the beginning I guess. I was born in Genève and my parents died when I was 4. I then moved to live with my cousin Princess Genevieve. You see, her parents adopted me. That's the only reason why I'm considered royalty. Genevieve and I didn't talk to each other for a whole two years after we first met because I accidentally stepped on her toe. When she finally forgave me, we became the best of friends. I knew that she liked to flirt with me, but I never had any other feelings but friendship towards her."

"Really? I wish mum knew that. Then she might not have wished that she were Genevieve for you to like her." Lena confided.

"Well," Edmund continued, "I started going to camp royalty over the summer break when I was 9 years old. When I was there, I learned how to play the upright bass. When I was nineteen, I met Erika Juno. You know, the rock star Erika Juno."

"Yeah, mother introduced us to her once. She was really nice and autographed one of my shirts." Lena says with a sigh, remembering all the good times that she had shared.

"Well, did she tell you that your mother had been a part of the band that she formed? I played the upright bass, and your mother was one of the lead singers, along with Erika. She had an amazing voice. Like an angel. It was so much fun. We went on tour for two years. I really got to know all the band members really well." Edmund said with a faraway look in his eyes.

"No! Mother never said anything about belonging in a band!" Lena exclaimed. "We never keep secrets from each other. So why would she do that?"

"I don't know. But I wish that I did. But, we disbanded soon after that because a lot of the princesses were accepting proposals. I had thought for those two years that Erika had loved me because of the sweet little things that she'd do for me. So, I asked her to marry me, but she refused. She told me that she was already engaged, and that she was sorry about the heartache that she caused." He said, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths, as if the memory itself were painful.

"What does this have to do with mother?" Lena asked softly. She didn't understand. Here he was, a past lover of her mother and he was telling her all about how he loved someone else, when he had told her that he loved her mother. It was confusing her, but she figured that his feelings might get hurt if she said anything about it. So, she stayed silent and waited for him to say more.

"Now that I look back to those years, I can see that your mother liked me. It was the little things that showed it. Like how she would run after me if I cried. Even if I told everyone to leave me alone. I had only thought that she was just doing it because we were friends, but now I understand that it was something more. And I never got to show her that I loved her." He silently wept into his hands.

Lena looked at him a little awkwardly. "I'm sure that mother knows that you cared about her the way she cared about you. She was good at guessing that kind of things about people."

Suddenly, Edmund remembered what he had really wanted to tell her. "Um, Lena. As far as I know, you don't have any immediate family. I was wondering if I could become your guardian. I'd look after you as if you were my own kids, I'll show you all the love that I never had the chance to show your mother. Please won't you let me?"

"As long as Uncle Marcus says it's fine, I guess. But, we still have to ask Christopher if he's okay with this," Lena said slowly, thinking very hard about what she should say before actually saying them.

"Okay with what?" Christopher asks, bouncing in.

"Okay with us, um, moving somewhere else. You see, last night …" Lena falters, the smile on her face falling.

"Christopher, there's n easy way to say this, but you mother is gone!" Edmund says as he pulls Christopher into his lap and gives him a hug.

"I know." Christopher exclaims cheerily. "She came to see me this morning and told me that we would move in with you. Are we really?"

"Really what Christopher?" Lena asks as she forces a smile.

"Really going to live in a big castle?" Christopher says as she swings his arms to show how big he wants the castle to be.

"No. I'm afraid I don't live in a castle. But I have a big house." Edmund says with a chuckle. "Now, Lena, can you call your uncle Marcus and ask him if you can come to spend Christmas with me."

Lena reluctantly gets off the couch and walks into kitchen, where the phone is kept. Edmund and Christopher wait in silence for her to come back in the room, which she does in a few minutes.

"He says that it's fine for today, but they'll want to discuss a few things before you actually take custody of us." Lena announced happily.

"Can we go in your big car again?" Christopher asked shyly.

"Sure. We can go as soon as you get changed out of your pajamas." Edmund announces.

The two of them run up in a flash to change, leaving Edmund on the sofa. Wondering if he had done the right thing.

But, there wasn't too much time to wonder because the two kids flew down the stairs and pulled Edmund off the couch and to the door. They bundled up, in jackets, hats, mittens and boots, which Edmund noticed were worn and old. That would have to change soon and he promised himself that he would get them new winter gear.

The three of them walked out the door, closing it behind them for the last time. Lena blew a small kiss to their house and it didn't go unnoticed my Edmund or Christopher. Copying his older sister, Christopher also blew a kiss to the house. Edmund then unlocked the car, and they all piled in, Lena sitting in the passenger seat and Christopher in the back seat.

Once seat belts were buckled, Edmund started the car. They went past several dozen streets, each with breathtaking light arrangements, that left both children pressed to the windows. They finally drove up to a large house, decorated to the brim and Edmund pulled his car into the driveway, before saying. "Welcome home kids. I hope you like it."

Lena and Christopher jumped out of the car and started running through the snow in the yard.

"Merry Christmas." Edmund whispered.

* * *

 **I guess I thought that maybe there should be a back story explaining the two of them, so I came up with this, like three hours ago.** **So, it isn't that good. I'll probably get back to this and fix some grammar mistakes in a while.**

 ** **Cheerio,****

 **Lasting Violet**


End file.
